Kirtland halts Garaway's playoff run

GREEN After creating a buzz with its first-ever playoff win the previous week, Garaway ran into a buzzsaw as the Pirates fell 52-7 to Kirtland in a Division V regional semifinal football clash at Green High’s InfoCision Field Friday night.

The Pirates end the season 9-3 after falling to the second-ranked team in the state of Ohio in Division V.

The Hornets were so dominant in the first quarter they rushed for 182 yards while Garaway totaled just 72 total yards (41 of which came on a pass play from Tyler Walter to Gabe Elmore).

The Hornets (12-0) scored their first touchdown in dominating fashion, traveling 70 yards on the ground as

6-foot-1, 218-pound Air Force recruit Christian Hauber bulled his way for 51 yards, including a 3-yard push that along with the Jared Lyon kick made it 7-0 at the 7:41 mark of the first quarter.

It only got worse from there as the Pirates went three and out on its next possession and lined up to punt. Kirtland sophomore Ryan Loncar busted through the line and blocked Elmore’s punt, picking it up in the process and rumbling five yards untouched into the endzone at the 6:48 mark. Lyon’s kick made it 14-0.

Eleven seconds later, Zach Santo picked Walter off and returned it 21 yards for a pick-6 touchdown. Lyon’s kick made it 21-0.

The Hornets tacked on a fourth score at the 5:16 mark when speedy Damon Washington took one play to go 46 yards and the Lyon kick made it 28-0 and Hauber added another run from two yards out at the 2:07 mark for a 35-0 advantage.

The teams played evenly through the second quarter until the Hornets took a Garaway fumble and turned it into a 51-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard Washington touchdown run with 3:53 showing on the clock.

Washington showed his speed and athleticism with 5:25 left in the third quarter as he took a dump pass from quarterback Scott Eilerman and turned it into a 27-yard scoring play complete with a plethora of zigs and zags. After the Lyon kick it was 49-0.

Cody Mullet stepped up after the Kirtland touchdown with a kickoff return from the 17 to the 50-yard line. After Eric Schie picked up six yards to set his team up at the Hornet 44-yard line, Walter found Elmore with a big pass play to score their first touchdown of the game with 3:53 showing on the clock. Elmore would add the extra point for the 49-7 score.

Lyon added a 31-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter to go up 52-7.